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UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, an advocate

Since 1950, UNICEF has supported the most important transformation for children and adolescents in Brazil. Through its main office in Brasília and nine field offices, UNICEF Brazil works in close partnership with national and sub-national governments, corporate partners, youth, and civil society organizations. For information of the work of our organization in Brazil, please visit our website: UNICEF Brazil  

How can you make a difference? 

Under the general guidance of the Deputy Representative Operations, you will be responsible for providing complementary support, and monitoring related to the management of risk, including but not limited to the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of risk management practices at a process, systems, and entity level. Ensuring the achievement of risk management objectives follows organizational rules and regulations, and acceptable ethical behavior; internal controls; information and technology security; sustainability; and quality assurance and providing analysis and report on the adequacy and effectiveness of risk management and internal controls.

This includes the following responsibilities:

1. Risk management support: Support the office management team in the annual risk assessment process and monitor reliability of reports and their compliance with applicable rules and regulations; Ensure the monitoring of risk mitigation action plans including a mid-term review; Lead the office peer reviews process, undertake visits to project sites and field offices to verify the quality of performance; Ensure the risk management approach is embedded in any project/proposal, in office governance committees’ review of submissions and in any major decision made by the management.
2. Compliance support: Review the office systems, procedures, and processes for compliance with organizational rules and regulations; Enforce and strengthen internal controls to ensure that systems are in place to prevent, detect and report non-compliance.  Review internal work processes in Programme,  Operations and Private Fundraising and Partnerships(PFP) to ensure that accountabilities are clear and placed at the adequate levels as per global policies and/or best practices; Establish a risk-based system to periodically and systematically review a sample of activities (Programme, PFP and Operations) to ensure they are carried out according to established work processes and in compliance with UNICEF policies and Procedures.
3. Fraud risk Management support: Support the management of the office in collecting evidence to respond to OIAI’s queries when initially assessing allegations of fraud and misconduct or during actual investigations; Advise the management on lessons learned from investigations and measures to be taken accordingly; Ensure the implementation of the global anti-fraud strategy, suggest internal fraud prevention mechanisms and alert the management on any fraudulent issues as well as unethical behaviors detected; Lead the process of Fraud risk training / orientation to Partners and suppliers.
4. Oversight and advisory to the Management: Help advise the management on actions to be taken to enforce and strengthen accountabilities for a robust, responsive, and transparent governance framework; Contribute to effective management process by participating in key governance meetings (particularly CMT, PMT and OMT); Coordinate Risk assessment and control activities with other UN agencies by representing the office in meetings related to Risks and Compliance activities.
5. Create awareness/capacity building: Establish a system to document and report weaknesses in internal control and implement actions aimed at addressing internal controls gaps (SOP, memos…) and building the capacity of responsible staff; Analyze cause and effect of policy changes to the operations of the office, anticipate changes and advise on the new way of doing business;  Support the implementation of a continuous learning and development plan for the Risk and Compliance function; Ensure that management provides staff with access to relevant training and that staff and other personnel understand key UNICEF policies including PSEA, Fraud and Ethics.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Education - An advanced university degree in Business Administration and Financial Management. Operations Management, Strategic Management, Risk Management, Audit, Investigation, Internal Control, Statistics and Data Analysis or Accounting certificationare considered as assets.
• Experience – i) A minimum of five (5) years of professional experience of continuous professional work experience in Risk and Compliance or another directly relevant area, several of which in internal audit. ii) Experience in financial management, particularly developing and implementing financial control systems, ERM, audits, internal control preferably with international organizations, NGOs, and UN.
• Language - Fluency in English. Proficient in Spanish and/or Portuguese. As the post will require a commitment to achieve fluency in Portuguese (if not already acquired).

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable afro-descendants, indigenous, LGBTQIA+ and other minorities are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.